Nail-driver



(No Model.)

' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. 1 'S. PERRY. NAIL DRIVER. 4 No. 317,189. Patented May 5', 1885.

Z22 en for;

' 3 sheets-sheen s. S. PERRY. l NAIL DRIVER.

(No Model.)

2.22 vez? zzgl.

(9. C9. PWC@ NITED STATES PATENTv OFFICE.

STUART PERRY, or NEWPORT, lNRW YORK.

VNAIL-DRIVER.

Veen,crrronrrcn forming para of Letters Patent No.3'1'1,1a9, dated May 5,1885. I

nppiicanon mea october es. m34. (No model.)

. letters of reference marked thereon, which lo form a part of thisspeciication.

rIhe object of this invention-is to provide an improved construction' in machines for driving-nails-such, for instance, as the one y,

illustrated in Letters Patent of the United 2O plunger,

States No. 27 9,427 granted to the present applicant upon the 12th day of June, 1883. In the patent above'mentioned a nail-driver `is shewn whichK-isprovided with a driver-head having a passage to receive areciprocating by which the nails are driven, and in which the said driver-head beneath the plunger by means of a channeled nail holder or magazine, which is removably attached to the head, and provided with a sliding feed-plate having hooks to engage the heads of the nails, and

adapted to be actuated by hand to move the nails forward in the channel of the magazine, the said driver-head being provided with devices constructed to successively separate the asl nails from the line of nails held inthe magazine, and to bring and hold said nails in position to be driven by the forwardmovement o'f the plunger.

In the device herein shown as illustrating my invention means. are provided whereby 'the nails are `fed to the driving devices by gravity,

provements inthe construction of the devices for separating the nails and for bringing-and holding them beneath the plunger, and also in other parts of the apparatus, as lwill 'hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, which illus- 5 trate a nail-driver embodying the present invention, Figure 1 is .aperspective view ofthe nail-driverpwith the nail-magazine removed. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3isaverticaleross-section-through 5o the handle or magazine-support with the magazine removed, taken upon the line a: .fr of Fig. 2. -Fi g. 4 is an enlarged Vfragmentary side elethe nails are fed to the passage of v and the said device' also embodies imvation of the driver-head and adjacent parts.

Fig. 5 is au end elevation of the nail-driver -on an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a vertical axial section of the driver-head, taken upon line x x of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the plunger removed from the machine. Fig. 8 isaV cross-section of said plunger, taken upon line :c a: of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail elevation showing the lower surface of the head of the driver. Fig. 10fis a fragmentary perspective showing the devices by which therear end of the nail-magazine is securedin position. Fig. 1,1'L sa detail bottom view of the pivoted hook or jaw .of the driver-head removed from the machine. Fig. v12 is a similar view of the detent. Fig.' 13 is a detail sectional View of the hook enjaw, vtaken nponl-inej'a a' ofl Fig. 11; Fig. 14 is a horizontal section of the same, taken on the line y y of Fig.6, showing the position of the parts when the nail is held beneath the plunger, ready for driving.- Fig. l5 is a similar view showingthe position oi' the Fig. 16 is a detail perspective viewof the hook or detent shown in Figs. 14.y and 15. Fig.v 17 .is abottom view of the same.; Fig. 18 is a cross-section,of the magazine. Fig. 19 isa vertical axial sectionof the driNer-head, showing devicesffor centering the point ofthe nail. Fig. 20 is a face view in-detail of one et the nail-guides shown in Fig. 19. Fig. 21 isacentral longitudinal section of a modified form 'of .the-nail-driv'er, more particularly adapted to drive nails vertically downward. Fig. 22 is a uponceilings and on horizontal surfaces. v

Ais a nail-driver, which consists, principally, of a head, A,.provided with a central vertical passage,l a, constructed to receive and guide a reciprocating driver or plunger, B, and ahollow open-topped handle, A2, attached to the said head, said handle, as herein shown, being formed of sheet metalA bent in U shape, and having outwardly extended flanges at the'top edge of its sides,in the middie portion thereof, to enable .it to be conveniently grasped and held by the operator.

C is a lremovable nail-magazine, which is supported adapted to similar View of a' form ofthe driver for use' within the hollow handle A2, and isV supplynails tothe recess awithin the head A,in a manner hereinafter described.

`view of the rear end ofthe magazine-holder, ,Y

parts after, the plunger has been depressed.

roc

e su.

The head A is provided with a vertical slot or aperture, a', Athrough which nails are adr mitted to the passage aof the head beneath the plunger from the channel ofthe magazine placed in alignment with said slot, the latter boing.l provided with an enlargedl or transvverse portion, a, at .its upper end for the heads of the nails. Means are provided within the' 'head A for se arating the foremost nail from' 0. the line 0f nai 's fed. vto the drivinglheadfrom the" magazine, for moving. the separated nail intath M3528@ beneath. the. plunger, and. for holding the inail in position for .being Vdrivenuntil the descent of the plunger, as

` will be hereinafter described.

The plunger B is held'at the upper limit of its movement by a spiral spring, b, placed 4around the plunger; between the head b uponthe upper end thereof and the top of the head 2o A', and is, in the operation of the device, forced downward-ly to drive thenails b' blowsfrom a hammer .or mallet. The sai plunger, asA

. herein shown, is ofjcylindric foninand the reais of corresponding shape, the-'head b bein-g also cylindric, and operating Vbothasa `shoulderfor the spring and to prevent body'pof the plunger from being crushed B59056011 blows of the hammer. 'The spring bis preferably madel offlat wirefwth its flat '3o side perpendicular to its axis, and isseated in' a recess, of, Figs. 2 and 6 formed around ltheplunuger in the upper part ofthe head A. The said head A also is preferably modo of approximately the same length orV height as 3 5 the" plunger, and is provided in its upper end above the recess a,s with a recess, af, adapted to receive the head b ofthe plunger when the latten-is depressed, whereby the upper end of, the head A operates as a stop to the zdown 4o ward-movementof the hammer,so as to relieve the plungerA when the latter is struck with' luu-` necessary'forceand to therebyenable the latterto be made vlighter than would' otherwise be practicable. The plunger is provided with 4 5 a longitudinal` slot, b*, which is engaged `by a stationary stud or projection, t, upon the handig-whichopcrates to hold the said plundl ger from rotation, and alsoto limitailsupward v movementfb'y. engaging the lcweriend of the 5o slot.y Asherei-nshown, thefstud `be' is formed.

upon'. a. plate, B',l which'is secured tothe ex terior of thehead by a screw, b, the said stud being constructed to project inwardly through an aperture', 5*, 1n the f1eao,"as noarl'ysnown' innig. 2. t

The devices for carrying the nailsfnom the slot ainto the p a-and holdingthem in polition.i'or driving are, as herein'showmoonstructed as follows: Within-the head A,.'oppo sito the npperend of the passage a', is located. an oscillating hoek or jaw, D., which is pivoted ina suitable recess in said head, 4with its axsof rotation parallel with the axis ofthe pas.- mge a, by means of a pivot-pin, D', and a second hook-shaped oscillating or yvibrating jaw or detent, D, is pivoted in the said recess concentrically with the jaw D, and with its inner concave face opposed to the corresponding face lof the said jaw, as clearlyshownin Figs- 14 and 15. 4ThefjawD is adapted to swing across or overvthc passage a when rotated, and is provided at its outer orfree end with a curved surface, d,.concentric with the pivotal point of the jaw, and' adapted to close the slot a .whenl the said jaw-isthrown forward across the passageV alas cleapl-y. shown in Fig. 14. The outer end ofthe detent Dis arranged approximately in 'a'radialline with the outer end .of the pointof the jaw D,and somewhat nearer -the 4pivotal axis bf thesaid jawthan the point of the latter, and the-said detent'D is connect- V.ed with the jaw, so as to move with the latter when it isrotated about its pivotal axis. The jaw is held with its free end over the passage a by means of aspiralspring, d', herein shown,

Fig. 2,L as placed around the pivot-pin Dwhich 'is `rotatably 'mounted in the head A', and-is' rigidly attached'tolthc jaw D, said spring being connected with the said head and the pin, soasto rotate the latter in the direction to carry the jawD towardthe passage a. .Said jaw D also is-prov-ided u .pjou its uppersurface with .a projection, d, having an inner inclined face, d, adapted for engagement withj-the'plunger B,'asfclearly shown in Figs. 6,14, 15, and -16, whereby the-said jaw D will be thrustaside by the lower e'nd of said plunger in the descent of the, latter through the'passage a. The

outer end'or point ofthe ja'wDis so arranged that when thesaid'jaw is-thrawn laterally by thc plunger and held with'- its inner curved. face in alig'nmentwith the passage a bythe en- IOC) gagement of said plungentherewith, as shown in Fig. 15,. the slot will beopen topermit the entrance of nails to the passage a. The loca# tion of the detent D -is such that a nailpassing inwardly from the slot a', when the jaw D is moved backwardly, will come in contact .with the outer surface ofsaid detent D -near the point thereof. The 'radial distance between the outer surface 4of the .detent and the end ofV the jaw D is approximately equal to the thicknessof the shank of ,a nail, v`so that when the foremost nail of a line of nails is in contact with the said detent the point of the `jaw D will be opposite the space between the said foremost nailand thenail next to it. By this construction it is obvious that the said detent will arrest and hold the foremost nailwof4 the line of nails in such positionl 'that inthe advance inovementgof the said jaw D the point thereof will enter between the y said foremost nail and the nextone of the line, whereby the said foremost nail will be separated from the remainder of the nails in the magazine. The form of the curved inner face of the jaw D is such that in the inward movement of the said'jaw, afterits point has separated or seized a nail in the 'manner described, the nail will be carried or pressed inwardly to ya point beneath the plunger `by the ,action of the said curved face of the hook andthe opposing curved wall of the passage a, toward "which it moves. The wall of the passage a rgb is, as shown, entirely removed to permit the passage of the hook D across it, excepting at -a point lopposite the central portion of said hook,`at which point a connecting part, A, is

5 provided for uniting the parts of the head A above and below the recess for the jaw D and detent Dl, whereby the wall of the passage is made continuous vertically and a supportV is afforded for the head of the nail, between which support. and the said jaw the' nailis held in position for driving, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and'14. By this construction also a smooth vertical face is formed, upon which the nail-head may slide freely downward in the descent of the plunger thereon when the nail is driven. rllhe detent D2 is located at the side of the head adjacent to the connecting part A3; and in order to enable the end of the detent to comeproperly over the passage a' when advanced to stop the forward movement of the nails from the magazine said detent is made in hook forni, or curved at its central portion, so as to pass around the said part A3 when the point of the detent is advThespring d is adapted'to hold the jaw normally with its point advanced across the slot a', and with its outer curved surface, Lin position to close the slot a', the detentD2 at such time being swung laterally away from the said slot, as clearly shown in Fig. 14. Vhn the device is suitably supplied with nails and is in operation, a nail, N, `previously 'separated and broughtv inwardly by the jaw D, will be held between the said jaw'and the side wall of the passage a whenever the hook is in the position mentioned, as clearly shown in Fig. 14, said nail being obviouslyheld beneath the plunger inr positionfor driving. When the plunger is depressed to drive the nail into the wood, its lower end, yupon striking the incline d, will thrust aside the jaw D,'so as to release the nail and to carry the point of said jaw away from the slot a', the detent D2 being at the same time moved so as to bring its point across the slot a', whereby the forf ward movement of the nails through the said slotis arrested. When the plunger returns to its normal position'and the jawD is rewill be `carried .laterally by the spring d', the point of the detent in this movement obviously being withdrawn fromcontact with the foremost nail of the line of `nails at thezsame c moment that the point of the jaw D becomes 'nail is free to be carried inwardly bythe ner 'before described. A

ger is beveled or inclined to correspond with the inclined face d3 of the jaw Dat the point at which it comes vin contact with said jawjs, as' shown at b5 in Fig. 6,. in order toiiessen G5 wear of the Q j I Cin PatentNo; 279,427, above/'referred toas operative surfaces.A

\ havingbeengrantedto me, a naiLdriving api-5 vanced, as clearly shown in Figs. l14 and 15.

leased, the latter, together with the detent D,

engaged therewith, so that the said foremost As herein shown, the lower end of the pl'unthe two pivoted jaws operatedby the plunger in substantially the same'manner that the single.

jaw herein shown is'ractuated, and a laterally reciprocating slide or detent, which is located in front of the inlet-passage of the head, so as to arrest the incoming nails at the time that the ja ws are open, and is moved aside by the act-ion thereon of one of the jaws, to allow an inward movement of the nails duringthe closing of the jaws. `The device Vherein shown and above d'escribedoperates generally in the saine manner as does the device above referred to, the detent U obviously taking the place ot' the reciprocating detent or slide shown in the said patent to sto",y the foremost nail, and to holdit in position."y Ito be engaged and carried inwardly by the jaw, and the single jaw D operating in eonnec ,ion with the opposing'side of `the passage, ijijstead of with an opposing movable jaw, asii'n the device above referred to. The construction shown, iii-which the detent is connected with and is operated by a .single jaw` or hook, possesses .obviousadvantages in point of simplicity of constructionand certainty of aetio'n over the one shown in said patent. y In order to preyent the detentD2 from becoming injured or broken by striking the surface of a crooked or badly-formed nail,when advanced by the forcible downward movement of thel plunger, the said detent is attached to the jaw or hook D by a yielding or spring connection adapted to permit the point of the said detent ICOv toyield backwardly a dist-ance equal to or somewhatmore than the thicknessof a'nail.- Any well-known or desired devicev may bejfused for' formedjin or attached to the hub, orv part of the detent surrounding the pin, the distance betweenthe stops being slightly greater than lthe width of the projection, so as to permit a relative movement of the detent with refer-y ence to the jaw, for the purpose above stated.v

IIO

The armand detent are held' normally, in t spring, d, seated in the recess inthe cylindri Y part or hub of the hook D around the pin D proper relative position by means of a spirI Figs. 11,12, and 13. Thev spring d6 is e'ngagedat its inner end with the said hook, and

y the wire of which it is composed is extended downwardly at its end adjacent to the said detent and'engaged with an'aperture, di, formed. in the latter. ."lhe said springis arranged, in connection with one ofthe stops di; tohold v the points-of' the detentJ and lhookpin proper @relative 1'm'sition, ,v the said spring obviously ,allowing the .detentgto yeldbachwardly as far as permitted by the distance between the stops (l5, for the purpose above stated.

The important feature of the constrnctionin the hook or jaw and the detent 'above described is that whereby the parts mentioned inay together be moved by the action of the and ease of operation, and by reason of the comparatively small area of surfaces in'frictional contact thereby obtained.

In the particular construction herein shown the parts are so arranged that the surface of the plunger adjacent to the slot a is approximately at the same distance from the saidv slot as the thickness of a nail,the said plunger being, as shown in the drawings, 'longitudinally grooved or cut away, as indicated at b, Figs. 7, 8, and 15, to prevent contact of the surface of the plunger with the end of the detent Dz when' the latter is in its advanced position. `It is obviously practicable, when the parts are arranged in this manner, to dispense entirely with the said detent, and to permit the plunger to act in place of said detent in. arresting the inward movement of the nails when the hook or jaw is thrown backwardly, the plunger obviously being in proper position for this purpose at the time mentioned. Inasmuch, however, as the plunger is liable to become worn or grooved by the contact of the nails therewith, the form of the construction herein shown, in which the detent is present, isusually preferred.

For the purpose of holding and guiding the lower end or shank of the nails in thel downward movement of the latter, a laterally-movable guide, E, is arran ed upon the head A below the jaw D, said/ guide being provided wit an inwardly and downwardly inclined i sur ace, e, arranged to extend into the said passage with its lowerend in position to hold the nails vertical when the upper ends are held by the said jawl with their heads in contact with the Aside wall of the passage a, in the manner before described. The said guide is preferably held in its inward position Iby a suitably-arranged spring, e', and the inclined surface e of said guide is made concave or hollowed transversely to correspond with the curved form of the inner wall of the said passage, and is'constructed in such manner that the said guide willbe forced laterally outward by the contact of the lower i end of the plun ger therewith in the downward movement of the latter, the parts being so arranged that the said inclined surface will come flush with the inner curved surface of the said passage, so;as to permit the said plunger and the head and arranged to press at its free end against.

the stationary part of the head, so as to throw the lower free end of the guide inwardly.

l In the patent upon the Vnail-driver hereto! fore granted to me and before mentioned the portable magazines C, for supplying lnails to the driving devices of the head A', were shown as provided with a singlenail-channel, and' with covers provided with sliding `hooks adapted to engage the heads ofthe nails within the channels, and which were moved by hand to feed lthe nails forward within the channelsV to the driving-head.

The feeding devices herein shown are, in: tended to operate by gravity, and for this purpose the nail-magazines Care so constructed as rto permit the nails to slide freely through them, and the handle or magazine-support A, in which the said magazine is held, is, when the driver is in operation, held in such position that the nails will gravitate -from the channels of the magazine to the said driverhead..` This .may be accomplished whenI the handle is located at right angles with the axis of the driving-head, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, and also in the patent before mentioned, by holding the driver with the head A thereof downward in operating upon a vertical or side wall, and in operat-f ing upon a horizontal surface-as aoor or ceil ing-by moving the hand which holds the'driver in 'such manner as to cause the nails to gravitate into the head after each nail is driven. No particular inconvenience or great decrease in the speed in which the nails are driven will be caused by this means of feeding `the nails when operating uponhorizontal surfaces; but, if preferred, special forms of the device may be used upon side walls or in driving nails vertically downward into a horizontal surface in which the handle or magazine-support 'A' is inclined relatively to the axis ofthe head A', so as to cause the nails to continually gravitate toward said head when the latter is in operative position., ,The construction last mentioned is illustrated in Figs. 21 and 22 of the draw,- ings, and willbe hereinafter more particularly described. -4 The magazines C herein shown also differ from the ones illustrated in the patentlabove' mentioned by having, instead of a single nail'- channel, two parallel channels, whereby the IIO quantity of -nails which -maybe held at one time in the said magazines is doubled with obvious advantages. In the particular construction of the nail-magazines herein shown said magazines are provided with laterally-movable tops or covers C', attached to the magazines by spring-connections, whereby said covers may be moved laterally'inf'iilling the magataneously herewith.

zines. -The said magazines are adapted for insert-ion in a case or tray, by which they'may be expeditiously filled-such, for instance, as is shown in the patent above referred to-and the devices for connecting the covers C with the magazines, as herein shown, are adapted for use in aspecial form of charging device, which is shown andclaimed in another application for Letters Patent filed yby me simul- The covers C are adapted to permit the nails to slide freely inthe channels of the vmagazines, so that the nails may move freely by gravity in the said channels for the pur-` pose -hereinbefore mentioned. The said magazines, as herein shown, Figs. 2 and 1S, and

as also shown in the application above referred to, are constructed, principally, of sheet metal bent to fo l1n two parallel nailchannels, c, separated s ifliciently to prevent Contact of the nail-heads in the adjacent rows heldin the channels, the connecting metal between the channels being bent to form a fiat surface or ledge, c', upon which the heads of the nails rest. The metal-at the exterior margins of the channels is bent outwardly to form 'a surface, c`, for the heads of the nails, and

is also preferably bent upwardly at rightv angles with said surface, so as to form upturned iianges c, to stiften the upper` edge of the magazine. l

The tops C are preferably.const-ructed of sheet metal, and are provided with flanges c, extending7` downwardly outside of the flanges c3 of the magazine and attached to the upper ends of springs Cl, by wliichthe covers -are secured to the magazines, and which are adapted to permit the said tops to be moved laterally for the purpose above mentioned, said covers preferably being connected with said springs by means of platesC, provided with outwardly-projecting curved prongs c5, which operate in a manner and for a purpose fully set forth in the application above re'i ferred to. v

The channels of the magazines are closed at I their outer ends by means of an end plate, 0*, provided with a transverse projecting lug, c,

whereby the outer end of the magazine is envgaged with .the holding devices of the handle A2 as hereinafter described and the magazine is provided at its inner end with a U-sha-ped holding device upon the head.'

re-e'nforcing piece, C5, provided with notches,

c7, adapted for engagement with a suitable Forthe purpose of supporting the magazine Within the handle A2 in such manner that the inner end of the latter may be shifted'to bring the channels thereof successively in alignment with the apertures ctof the head, so thatlwhen one of said channels has been emptied the 4other may bebrought into position for the passage of the nails therefrom, holding devices are provided as follows: The ,magazine -is held in the handle A at ,its-outer end by vmeans of a spring, czsecnred .to the end wall press the magazine longitudinally toward or I against the head A. Upon the side walls ofV the handle A, upon either side of the spring ci, are placed two springs, el", adapted to press inwardly upon the sides of the magazine, and to thereby hold theend thereof from lateral movement. Upon the lateral face of the head A adjacent to the slot or aperture a' is placed a transversely-sliding,holderor shifting-plate, F, adapted to engage the adjacent end of the magazineand to hold it in position with. either of the channels thereof, as desired, in alignmentwith `the said aperture a. As herein shown, the said plate F is connected with the driver-heady by means of a dovetailed rib, f, upon the plate engaged with a transverse dovetailed slot, f in the driver-head, and provided with an upwardly -projecting arm, F, adapted to engage a second slot, f2, inthe driver-head, so -as to assist in maiutaining the plate accurately in position. -The said plate is provided with. a springdetent, F, adapted to engage either one of two notches, f 3, in the driver-head in suitable position to hold the s aid plate with either of the channels therein in alignment with the slot a', sclea''y shown Vin Fig. 3,v said dctent, as herein shown, consisting of a short arm pivoted centrally in'a vertical slot in the armv F', and held in position for engagement with thel notches f3 byl means of a spiral spring, f", placed between the upper end of the detent and the arm. vided with two downwardly-projecting arms, f 5, having upon vt-heir lower ends twoinwardy A Io5 The plateF is proly-projectinglugs, f, adapted for engagement Y with the notches c7, formed in the-"piece C at the end of the said magazine, as before mentioned, the covers Gof the magazine,as shown in Fig. 2, terminating a short distance from the end of the magazine which engages the plateF,so that said covers maybe opened when the magazine is in the handle for the extraction of a crooked or malformed nail or other purpose. The magazine .is inserted in the handle A2 by first engaging its' inner end with the shifting'- plate F, 4and then pressing its outer end downwardly upon the spring o8, so as to cause the engagement ofthe projection 'ci thereon with the notch or depression c9 of the spring. The said spring and the shiftingholder Fare arranged to supportthe magazine free from contact with the handle A2, so

that the magazine may be moved freely when,v

shifted. The magazine is shifted by -rst pressing upon the upper end of thespringdetentFz, so asto release it from the notch with whichy it is 'engaged,land'then movingthe plate laterally with the end-toffthe magazine until the detenta-becomesengagedwith the second notch in an obvious manner.

IIO

scribed.

In the particular form of de vice herein shown'lthe sheet -metal handle or magazine-4 support A2 is attached to the head A by having its side walls extended over the adjacent sides of the head and provided with inwardly-turned flanges a5, which enter vertical slots a 1n the head, and is secured `in place by screws al, which, as shown, are held from jarring loose by washers a", bent upward at one side against hexagonal heads upon the screws, and having inwardly-bent proj ections engaged with suitable apertures in the metal of the handle to keep them from turning. The slot a of the head,as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 9, is extended downwardly through the metal ofthe handle, so as to form an exit for particles of dirt or detached fragments of iron, which may enter the said slot from the channels .of vthe magazines. A stud or post, a9, is shown in the drawings as connecting the parts of the driver-head above and below the recess formed therein for the jaw D and the detent D', so as to give the requisite stiffness in the head, the said stud preferablybein g screwthreaded for attachment inthe head.

The hook A4' (shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings) is to enable the driver to be suspended upon a belt worn by the operator or otherwise durng intervals of time when it is not being use A modified form oi' the devices for holding' Ais illustrated in Figs. v19 and 20, in which two oppositely-arranged guides, E' E', are used instead of the single guide E, hereinbefore derIhe said guides are pivoted upon the head Aby means of pivot-pins e, and are held at the inward limit of their movement by springs e* in the same'manner as the said guide E. The operative or opposing faces of the plunger.

of the guide E are made in their upper partv guides are transversely concaved, and their lower portions, between which the poi-nt of the nail is held, are parallel with Ieach other, and are adapted to hold the nail parallel and in alignment with the axis of the passage a. In the descent of the plunger in driving'a nail the latter, after being released from the hook D, is grasped and held vertically in the center of the passage c by the said guides, so that it will be driven perpendicularly into the wood and in exact alignment with the axis of the The conically-hollowed inner faces to correspond in cross-sectional contour with the form ofthe lower end of the plunger, and are set at such an angle with the axis of the driverhead that the latter may engage them at an acute angle, and thereby start them outward with the least possible shock. The guides for thelower end of the nail-either when asingle guide is used, as first described, or when two oppositely-acting guides are employedn may beformed in` an obvious manner by A', instead vof by spring actuated pivoted blocks, as herein shown.

G G are spurs having Shanks which are received in sockets g in the under side of the head. The spurs or teeth are caused to normally project below the bottom of the head by meansof springs g', applied to their Shanks and confined within. the sockets, each spur having a suitable stop, g, on its shank, to prevent the spring fromforcing the latter out ol' the socket. The spurs are lrespectively arranged near opposite sides of the head, and are in the shape preferably of curved teeth,

r which are bent or curved toward one another,

so that one or the other ol' the teeth can be cngaged with the edge of a lath nailed, for cxample, at one point, and the lath thereby drawn into place.

Referring to the modified formsof the naildriver shown in Figs. 2l and 22, in which the magazines are placed at an angle with theaxis of the plunger, the form of the driver shown in Fig. 21 is one adapted for use in 'driving nails vertically downward. In this case the handleA2 is vattached to the head A in such manner that when said head is placed vertically with the exit-opening of the passage a downward the said handle will stand at an upward inclination. rlhe said handle, as shown in said figure, is attached to the head in the same manner as before described, the portion of the body of the head in which the slot a is formed being extended outwardly, in order to bring the outer face thereof, against which the end of the magazine is placed, at right angles to the handle.

In Fig. 22 a driver is shown Afor use in overhead work, the handle A? being iu this case, when the device is in an operativeposition, inclined upwardly from its point of attachment to the head A', and the latter' being extended upwardly so as to bring its working face horizontally in line with or above the upper or outer vend o fA the handle.` This construction of course necessitates the use of a plunger of considera-ble length, and one whichv has a considerable vertical movement. The stroke of the plunger usually, however, need not be more than six inches, so that this feature of operation will not be practically disadvantageous. In other particulars than those above mentioned the devices shown in Figs.

22 and 23 are constructed' generally as before- IOO VIIO

IIS

use in connection with the nail-driver herein shown', the driving devices herein set forth will obviously operate advantageously in connection with any other device adapted to properly feed the nails thereto; and this invention is not, therefore, limited in its scope vto a naildriving mechanism inl which the magazine forms a part, exceptin the claims in which said magazine is specifically referred to.

lI claim as my invention-'- 1.y In a machine for driving nails, the combination, with driving devices, of a magazine provided withv two or more nail-channels,

means for sustaining the said magazine in position for the delivery of nails from the said channels to the driving devices, comprising` a shifting support, substantially las described, constructed to hold said magazine with either of its channels in position for delivering nails 2. In a machine for driving nails, the com- 'bination, with a driving-head providedpwith driving devices and having aside aperture to admit the nails, of a magazine having two or more nail-channels, and means for sustaining the magazine 'in position for the delivery of nails to the said driving deviees,*eomprising `a shifting support, substantially as described, upon the head, constructed to hold said-@magazine with either of the 4channels thereof in alignment with the aperture of the head, suby stantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. Ina machine for driving nails, the combination, with a driving-head provided with driving devices, substantially as described, and lhaving a side aperture to'admit the nails, of a magazine provided with two or-more nail-l channels, a fixed support attached to said head and constructed to receive and holdy the outer end of said magazine immovable with relation to. said h ead, a shifting support attached to' said head constructed for engagement with the inner end of said magazine and adapted to bring either of the channels thereof in line' 'ing the foremost nail from a line of nails,v

means, substantially as described, for actuating the said jaw, the said head being 4provided with an opposing stationarypart or surface operating in connection with the hook or' i jaw to engage the-separated nail and. to move the latter-bodily forward and into the said passage', substantially asdescrilied.

to the said driving devices, and locking devices aperture to admitthe nails into salidpassage, and a single pivoted hook or jaw for separat- -ing the foremost n'ail from a liueof nails,

'and forming, in connection with the said jaw,

a means for holding or supporting the nail in position to be driven, substantially as described. v

.6. In a machine for driving nails, the com bination of a plunger, a head having a pass sage to receive and guide the plunger, and a side aperture to admit the nails to said' passage, and a single laterally-mbvable spring- -actuated hook or jaw provid d with an in-v clined surface adapted for engagement with the plunger and operating to separate the foremost nail from aline of nails, the said head being provided with stationary parts or surstantially as described.

7. In a machine for'driving nails, the combination 0f a'plunger, la head having a passage to receive and guide the plunger, and a side aperture to admit nailsto the passage,` a

laterally-reciprocating hook or jaw, meaus,.

substantially as described, for actuating said jaw, a vibrating stop or det'eut for arresting the forward movement of the nailslwhen the jaw is removed from the line of feed, and means, substantially as described, for actuatingy said detent, the'said head'being provided with a stationary part or surface opposed to thejaw, and operating, in connection with the latter, to separate and feed forward ,the foremost nail from aline of nails fed to the driving device, substantially as described;

8`. lna machine for driving nails, thecombinatiou,with a plunger, a head, havingia passage through it adapted to receive and." guide said plunger, and aside aperture to "admit nails to the passage, a springactuated laterally-reciprocating jaw or hook constructed to separate the foremost nail from the line of nails fed to the-driving device and to tempotol arrest the .forward .movement of -the *nails when the said jaw is jforc'ed aside bythe plunger, and' suitable operative connections between'the jaw and dete nt,whereby the latter IOO IIO

is actuated from the former, substantially as described.

9. Ina machine for driving nails, the combination, with a plunger, a head having a passage through it toreceive and guide said plunger, and aside aperture to admit nails, a spring-actuatedl laterally-reciprocating hook opening when'said jaw is forced aside, and al yieldingor spring connection between the jaw and the detent, whereby the latter is actuated by the former, substantially as and for the purpose Vset forth.

10. In a machine for driving nails, the combination, with a plunger, of a head provided with a passage through'it to receive and guide I said plunger of sufcient length to admit the whole length of said plunger within said head,

whereby the outer end of said head acts as aI stop to the movement of the hammer, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

1l. In a machine for drivingnails, the combination, with the head provided with suitable driving devices, of a spur or spurs mounted in apertures in said head and -adaptedto project therefrom, said spurs being'adapted to engage the piece into which the'nails are to be driven, of springs applied to force said spurs outwardly and constructed to yield and permit them to be forcedint'o said head, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

12. In a machine for driving nails, the comlbination, with a driver-head provided with suitable driving devices, of a magazine provided with a suitable proj eetion or lug,` c6, and a magazine-support or handle attached to said head, of means, substantially as described, for

supporting the inner end of said magazine,

guide-plates c,adapted to hold the outer end of said magazine laterally immovable in said handle, and a spring, cs, adapted to engage said lug c, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. In a machine for driving nails, the combination, with a driver-head provided with means, substantially as described, for driving nails and with a side aperture -tovrecei-ve the nails, a magazine provided with two or more nailchannels, and a magazine-support or handleprovided with supports to receive and hold the outer end of said magazine, of' a shifting support for the inner end ofthe magazine attached to said head and constructed to slide thereon, so as to bring either of said nail-channelsin line with said side aperture, and a spring-actuated clernnt,.F`l, upon the said shifting support, the said head being provided with notches f,adapted for engagement with the said detent, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

14. In a machine for driving nails, the combination, with a driver-head provided with means,A substantially as described, `for driving nails, and with a side aperture to admit the nails. a magazine provided with two or more nail-channels, and with notches cT at its inner end, of a shifting support for the inner end of said magazine having sliding connection with the head, and provided with projections f, adapted to engage the notches c7, and a haudle or support for holding the outer end of the magazine provided with a spring, as,A adapted to hold the inner end of the said magazine in engagement with the said shifting support, substantially as described.

15. The combination, with a plunger and a driver-head having a passage to receive and guide said driverand a sideaperture to admit the nails, of a hook or jaw, D, pivoted to said head and actuated by the plunger, a spring applied to throw' the jaw toward the opposing face of the passage, a detent, D2,

pivotally supported upon the head concentricV J. T. Voos'rER, WM. RnYNoLns. 

